International

The Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef) has reportedly
injected over $1 million towards various infrastructure development
projects, among others, at Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT),
parliamentarians heard recently.
The Parliamentary portfolio on Higher and Tertiary Education, Science
and Technology Development led by Chinhoyi MP Peter Matarutse, which was
touring the University, was told Zimdef poured varying amounts of money
into the three-star CUT Hotel, students’ dining hall
and laboratories.
CUT vice chancellor, Professor David Simbi said Zimdef also funded
the first phase of the envisaged cattle breeding project at the
University farm, which saw the purchase of hybrid livestock. “Since 2010
Zimdef has funded various projects estimated at $1 million. This
relationship will realize us develop a roadmap to take Zimbabwe to where
we want it to be in terms of human capital
development with the help of Zimdef,” said Simbi.
He said the former teacher-training college which was transformed
into a fully-fledged university was geared to embark on the second phase
of CUT Hotel’s construction, which will see the setting up of riverside
chalets, expansion of the kitchen and additional conference rooms.
Simbi said CUT, with the help of Zimdef, had built chemistry, biology
and physics laboratories which urgently needed to be furnished with
state-of-the-art equipment.
He emphasized that the cattle breeding exercise would be rolled out
countrywide, mainly targeting hybrid livestock for artificial
insemination in order to grow the national cattle herd.
The vice chancellor appealed to Zimdef chief executive, Fredrick
Mandizvidza, who was part of the delegation, to avail additional
finances towards completion of projects which are at various stages of
completion.
The parliamentary and Zimdef delegation is on a whirlwind tour of
higher and tertiary institutions to have an appreciation of all
Zimdef-funded projects following revelations that funds from
the quasi-governmental body was being abused to further personal
political ends by certain individuals.